Ash sifting device



Dec. 16, 1947. A. s. WEYINSTEIN 2,432,599

ASH SIFTING DEVICE Filed Jan. 19, 1944 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 16, 1947. s,w s-rgm 2,432,599

ASH S IFTING DEVICE Filed Jan. 19, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 III] llll

BY W99" 27 /1is Affomgf Patented Dec. 16, 1947 -UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE ASH SIFTING DEVICE Abraham S. Weinstein, Brighton, Mass.

Application January 19, 1944, Serial No. 518,828

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to an ash sifting device to be installedin furnaces using coal, coke or other types of fuel in which it isdesired to separate the ash and cinders without removing the burned andunburned residues first from the pit of the furnace.

Devices of this nature which have previously been used are either ofsuch construction that some of the unsifted residue will fall through oraround the sifter itself and therefore be mixed with the ash that fallsthrough the sifter into the pit below, or of such a bulky and expensivenature that they are difiicult to install and do not readily permit thesifted cinders to be removed easily from the bottom of the furnace.

In the present invention the sifting device may readily be installedwithin the pit of the furnace without the necessity of removing doors ormak ing any changes in the construction of the pit itself. A furtheradvantage of the sifting device of the present invention is that thedevice may be operated and sifting accomplished without the furnacedoors being opened to any substantial degree, thereby avoiding dustcoming out of the furnace. Further the device cannot only be easilyinstalled without drilling or altering the furnace itself, but it canalso be readily removed and used in any other similar furnace. A furtherfeature of the present invention is that the ash pit itself isunobstructed and free in the present installation so that the ashes mayeasily be shovelled out in the same manner as they previously werewithout any fear of injuring the sifting mechanism or its supportingstructure.

As a further feature in the present invention, the sifting may be madeautomatic with the turning of the grate bars and in addition furthershaking of the sifter is possible after the bars of the furnace havebeen thoroughly turned or shaken.

A still further feature of the present invention is that the siftingscreen is easily removable and replaced, and likewise also the siftingframe itself or any other portion of the mechanism installed in thefurnace.

This and other features of the present invention will be more fullyappreciated and understood in the explanation and description of theinvention given in the specification below when taken in connection withthe drawings illustrating an embodiment of the invention, in which:

Fi ure 1 shows a substantially horizontal section through the furnaceover the grate barsv illustrating my invention.

Figure 2 shows a fragmentary view in elevation of my inventionindicating its relative position in the ash pit of the furnace.

Figure 3 shows an end view of the invention as viewed from the right ofFigure 2.

Figure 4 shows an enlarged view of the ash sifter shown in Figure 3 inrelatively the same position.

Figure 5 shows a plan view of the sifter shown in Figure 1.

Figure 6 shows a fragmentary section taken substantially on the line6--6 of Figure l, the furnace casing being omitted.

Figure 7 shows a fragmentary section taken substantially on the line'l'! of Figure 1.

Figure 8 shows a detail of the assembly of the frame for holding the ashsifter prior to the frame being put in final position.

Figure 9 shows a detail of the arrangement for connecting the sifter tobe operated by the action of the grate bars, and,

Figure 10 shows a fragmentary side elevation of the detail shown inFigure 9.

In Figure 1, the furnace section in the ash pit is shown at I. This hasa front supporting frame 2 on which the furnace door is hung and throughwhich the extension rods 3 and 4 project, which are provided with prismshaped ends 6 and 5 on which removable crank arms are placed for turningthe grates. The extension rod 3, as in the usual construction, mayoperate a gear 1 which in turn operates gears 8 and 9, so that bymovement of the extension rod 3, the grate bars HI, I! and 12 arerotated. The extension rod 4 usually controls two grate bars, the one l3which is part of the extension 4, and a second one, not shown, furthertowards the side of the furnace. The side grate bars support the entireash sifting mechanism by means of four S-shaped hooks, l4, i5, 16 andI1. These S-shaped hooks, the large end of which hangs over the gratebars, support two side elements [8 and IS, the side element is beingsupported by the hooks I6 and i1, and the side element l9 beingsupported by the hooks l4 and [5. These side elements comprise apronportions 20 and 2| which are sloped slightly upwards and are shaped inan are conforming to the side walls of the furnace. sufficient clearancemust be left between the side walls and the edges of the apron so as topermit the sifter to be shaken from side to side for sifting purposes.

Various sheet elements are attached to the apron by riveting orotherwise to form a substantially squared C-shaped channel asillustrated in Figure 6 which is formed by the member 2'2 and the flangeextension 23 which is an extension of the apron 2%. This construction isused for both the supporting elements 88 and I9. The hooks previouslymentioned are freely suspended in holes in the apron portion and 2| ofthe supporting members l8 and 19. These side supporting members aredesigned to receive a supporting frame 3| which may be rectangular inshape and which is designed so that it, together with the sidesupporting elements, forms a substantially rigid supporting structurefor the ash sifting pan. This frame comprises a front cross supportingbar 24 to which inverted side L-shaped channels 25 and 26 are riveted bymeans of rivets 21, for the. L.-shaped channel 25 and rivets 28 for theL-shaped channel 25.

As shown in Figures 1 and 8, the union is actua ly made bytriangularpieces 29 and 30, the front bar 24 being riveted to the triangle 29 byrivets 29' as shown in Figure 8. The frame is completed in the back by across supporting member 32 which is held to the side supports 25 and 26by means of corner pieces 33 and 34 by riveting as indicated at 35 and36 or by spot welding or by any other suitable method. The frame 3| soformed provides a substantially rigid structure so that the whole frameis actually freely supported from the four hooks hanging over the graterods or bars. The back supporting portion of the frame 3! is providedwith an apron 31 which extends outward and upward at a slightinclination to the side walls of the furnace with approximately the sameclearance as the apron portions 2!! and 2! so that the ash pan and framemay readily be shaken with a sufficient movement to do the job ofsifting properly. The back supporting element of the frame 3| isprovided with extending tongues 38 and 39 at either side which fit overthe side supporting elements 18 and I9 and actually over the projectingflange 23 of the apron 2|, as illustrated in Figure 6. Attached alsotothe back supporting cross piece 32 of the frame is a squared U-shapedchannel 40 which is provided with a flange 4| through which the channelis riveted to the piece 32, as illustrated by the rivet 42 (see Figure6). This U-shaped angle element or channel fits around the lower twosides 43 and 44 of the side supporting pieces I8 and I9 as illustratedin Figure 6, while within the two supporting pieces 43 and 33 theL-shaped channel of the sides of the frame as, for instance, 25 slide.Each side of the frame 3! may therefore be slid in place engaging theC-shaped channel of the side supporting members It and I9. Interlockingof side supporting members 3 and [9 of the frame 3i is best observedthrough the association of Figures 1, 2, '7 and 8.

The forward cross supporting member 24 of the frame is provided with anextending projection or tab 45 which may be a continuation of a part ofth bar 24 and a downwardly projecting tab or angle element 46 which maybe bent downward from the bar 24 over the channel member 25. The member22 of the side supporting element comes in contact in final positionwith the downwardly projecting tab 55 and the member 45 is designed toslide under an extension of the element 22 indicated as 22 in Figure 8.

In the final position the supporting element and the frame may be lockedby bending the piece 22' around the member 45 (see Figure 2). Security,however, of the'element is also obtained by means of the hook member 48into which the element 43 looks in final position.

In the assembly therefore of the sifter frame and its support, the twoside supporting elements are first put in place and then the frame 3| isslid into the supporting pieces with the side channels 25 and 25engaging the c-shaped channels in the side supporting members. When theassembly has been locked. in place, the sifting tray 56 may be inserted.This tray is provided with side flanges 5| and 52 which rest on thelower flanges 44 of the side supporting pieces. The tray itself isformed with a removable bottom screen 53. This screen rests in channels54 and 55 formed at the sides of the bottom of the sifting pan 50 withsuitable bent sheet elements. A

detent element 56 is pivoted at the front face of i the pan at the pivot51 in such a way that it may be turned downward to lock the siftingscreen 53 in place. A pull tab or handle 58 may be provided for thescreen so that it can be easily grasped and removed. The pan also has along handle 59 suitably attached to it. As indicated in Figure 4, Oneend of the handle is attached to the pan by being bent to conform to theshape of the pan and riveted in place by suitable rivets indicated bothin Figure 4 and Figure 5.

In Figures 9 and 10 there is shown a means for attaching the ash sifterto the grate rod or bar 4 so that rotating the rod will operate thesifter. Attached to the top of the front cross support 24 of the frame3| is a yoke 60. A bar 62 is engaged in this yoke and may be adjustablypositioned in it to the right or left, as viewed in Figure 10. To thebar 62 is attached a bracket 63 by means of bolts and nuts 64 and 65which work in slots 66 and 61 respectively so that th bracket 63 may beadjusted in a vertical direction up or dOWn as viewed either in Figure 9or Figure 10. The top of the bracket 63 is provided with teeth 68projecting at right angles to the face of the bracket. These teethengage a gear 69 mounted and pinned to the shaft 4. The adjustment ofthe bracket 63 is such that it may be lowered so that the teeth 58 aredisengaged from the gear 69 in which case the automatic sifter will notbe employed. When, however, the teeth 68 engage the gear 59, by applyingthe crank to the end 6 of the extension 4, the ash pan will beoscillated from right to left as the grate bars are moved. For handsifting, the handle 59 is used. This handle may project through the edgeof a small balanced door 18 and the entire shaking both forward and backor to the right and left may be accomplished by grasping the handle 59and moving it in the desired manner. The support for the whole assemblyby means of the four hooks I4, l5, l6 and I 1 permits the ash tray to beshaken back and forth or oscillated from side to side or even given arotary motion with a fair sized amplitude, if desired.

Instead of lowering th bracket 62 to disengage the gear 69, the bracket63 may be pulled 7 grate bars at each side of the ash pit, andsuspending said side supports to permit free motion thereof, a rigidframe having members slidably engaging said side supports for providinga unitary structure supported by said hooks, an ash sifting pansupported by said side supports, and means whereby the pan and unitarystructure may be shaken.

2. An ash sifting device for furnaces having grade bars adapted to beinstalled and operated in the ash pit of the furnace comprising sidesupporting members, each having flat sheet elements fittingapproximately the contours of the furnace at the sides of the ash pit, apair of hooks hooked over the grate bars at each side of the ash pit andsuspending said side supports to permit free motion thereof, a rigidrectangular frame having side members slidably engaging said sidesupporting members, and forming a composite frame with said sidesupports, the back of said rigid frame having a fiat sheet elementfitted approximately the contour of the furnace at the back of the ashpit, an ash sifting pan supported by said composite frame having ascreen element ithin the enclosure of said rigid frame and means wherebythe pan and composite frame may be shaken.

3. An ash sifting device for furnaces having grate bars adapted to beinstalled and operated in the ashpit of the furnace comprising sidesupporting members having flat sheet elements fitting approximately thecontour of the furnace at the sides of the ash pit, a pair of hooksfreely suspending each of side supporting members from the grate bars ofthe furnace, a rigid frame having side members adapted to engage saidside supporting members and having a back portion with a flat elementhaving a contour approximately fitting the back of the furnace, and anash having a screen in its bottom supported by said side supportingmembers in position beneath the grate bars.

4. An ash sifting device for furnaces having grate bars through whichcinders may be re- ,iected adapted to be installed and operated in theash pit of the furnace comprising side supporting members having flatsheet elements fitting approximately the contour of the furnace at thesides of the ash pit, a pair of hooks freely suspending each of sidesupporting members from the grate bars of the furnace, a rigidrectangular frame slidably removably in said supporting members andforming therewith a composite frame, a screened bottom ash pan slidablyremovable in said composite frame and adapted, when in position, for useto receive the cinders rejected by the furnace for sifting.

5. An ash sifting device for furnaces having grate bars adapted to beinstalled and operated in the ash pit of the furnace comprising sidesupporting members having fiat sheet elements fitting approximately thecontour of the furnace at the sides of the ash pit, a pair of hooksfreely suspending each of side supporting members from the grate bars ofthe furnace, said side supporting members having L-shaped channels withthe openings thereof facing one another in the final assembly of thedevice, a rigid frame having side elements adapted to slide in and fitin said channels forming together with said side supporting members acomposite frame, and an ash pan having a flange adapted to rest on thelower horizontal side of said L-shaped channels.

6. An ash sifting device for furnaces having a grate bar operable byshaking mechanism including gears adapted to be installed and operatedin the ash pit of the furnace, comprising side supports, means forfreely hanging said side supports from the furnace grate within the ashpit, a rigid frame having members slidably engaging said side supportsforming a composite frame, an ash sifting pan supported by saidcomposite frame, said pan having means whereby it may be shaken, saidrigid frame having a toothed member adapted to be brought intoengagement with a gear operated by the grate shaking mechanism wherebywhen the grate is shaken, the sifting device will operate.

7. An ash sifting device for furnaces having grate bars and gearsoperated therewith adapted to be installed and operated in the ash pitof the furnace comprising side supports, means for freely hanging saidside supports from the grate bars within the ash pit, a rigid framehaving members slideably engaging said side supports forming a compositeframe, an ash sifting pan supported by said composite frame, said rigidframe having on its front end an upwardly extending bracket with ahorizontally extending toothed member adapted to engage one of saidgears of the furnace grate, and means for extending said toothed memberto engage said gears whereby when the grate is shaken the sifter devicewill operate.

ABRAHAM S. VVEINSTEIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 379,322 Murphy Mar. 13, 1888902,829 Nostwick Nov. 3, 1908 940,403 Patterson Nov. 16, 1909 1,322,159Berkowitz Nov. 18, 1919 1,364,926 Forrest Jan. 11, 1921 1,586,860Swanson June 1, 1926 1,646,941 'Ienenbaum Oct. 25, 1927 1,793,376Schantz Feb. 17, 1931 1,859,373 Nese May 24, 1932 1,922,223 Streib Aug.15, 1933 2,092,112 Fakult Sept. 7, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number CountryDate 171,626 Switzerland Nov. 16, 1934

